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I've always heard "join a club,"join a club" "join a club" when people are talking to new folks just getting into the game but I seeing several people here say its basically a waste of time. What gives?
I'm in west KY and the nearest HRC clubs that I can find on the net are about 2 hours away in TN. Will I be wasting my time joining or is it a club by club deal where some are good and some others..not so much?

With out the clubs and their members there would be no trials or test! Clubs can never have too many workers. Be ready to help and do what is asked. Saying that, I think joining a club thinking they will help train your dog is a recipe for disaster.

Labskebill or Bill Blochowiak here. Sooner does training days probably 10 months a year with a mock HT/FT in March. No prizes or ribbons just setting up tests equivalent to licensed test. Trains new judges and helps new handlers see where "they are" in training. But 10 months a year, a notice is sent ou a week in advance. Based on the planned attendance, I determint the time, exact location and the agenda. Mostly novices through SH attend. If the "big dogs" attend, we split into two groups. We may teach a dog to pickup a bird for the first time or run an "ABCD" drill. Just depends on the needs. Usually I work with the younger dogs. I have an old dog that I hunt with and she has been through the program. heals forward and backwords, both sides and runs multiple marks and blinds when she wants too-a good good dog for show and tell.
Been building a house for 9 years and an agreement was reached with the mrs. No pup til the house is done but I can do the training sessions. Mostly when the dogs move up the owners will join a more advanced group. We have many great memebers gained through this process in the HT and FT game.

Our club usually has 2 setups going and average about 20 dogs per sertup. We usually run three marks and leave to the handler to say what he wants. Triple, singles, double & single ect. We have a judge and when leaving the last holding blind you just tell him what you want and he'll relay it to the throwers. Blinds are usually done after the 2nd series. We usually will grill burgers or dogs after and will be done by 1300 or so. We only have 3 a year out here that is about as much as you can get people. Our club uses pigeons, some of the other local clubs will use pheasants or ducks on training days.

Things I would like to see our club do a little better is set up a puppy/newbie area and go over basics and OB.

Things I really like about it is, we setup a test like senario. And more often then not the person that is judging helped setup the test and is proxiy judging. This is usually a new person that has NOT judged a real test before, and is either wanting to start judging or has even taken the seminar. It really helps them get the idea for sure on what is involved in a low stress situation.

Also we dont train on concepts like some of the other clubs, but test senarios. Like Shaver said it is really the only time to get out and get the dogs in a test/ trial type environment. We can honor, do a holding blind drill, etc etc. works well for guys like me that train alone 99% of the time. One thing is though is you can't be shy in getting bystanders to help out. Everyone needs to pitch in.

The KCRC is going to try a little different format this year. Insead of doing a fun trial attmosphere which has rewarded those of us with prior knowledge and skill, we are going to focus on providing a couple training days geared for the novice at the newbie level. Club members are going to make themselves available for some one on one. We are really trying to make a effort to recruit and retain new members. Trying to show them that if they invest in the club(their time), there is something they can get back in return(quality help with advancing their dog). We plan to do one training day Feb 9th and hopefully provide some "homework" for the individual and then another training day on March 9th where we can hopefully build on what was worked on at home. Then possibly a HT setup on Sunday March 10th to simulate a testing environement. The other goal we have decided for these training days is to assist us in training/expose club members to the various tasks associated with putting on a trial/test. We are making a concerted effort to expand the duties of the test/trial to more than just 5 or 6 dedicated persons.